"Yang!"
Ruby barely had a chance to take a single step forward before her big sister wrapped her in a crushing hug. With great difficulty, Ruby returned the gesture as best she could as she was lifted several inches off the ground within the squeeze. She nestled her face into the side of Yang's neck and closed her eyes, getting a whiff of gunpowder, sweat, and leather. The scent was disgusting to the point that it almost made her gag, but Ruby had never been happier to be assaulted with it. All of the cold of Argus was chased away within the warm hug, and for a brief moment, Ruby felt at home once again in her sister's arms. She knew the moment would be short lived, but even so, it provided a massive boost to her morale.
"I missed you…" Ruby said quietly.
"Missed you too, kiddo," Yang replied as she finally lowered her sister back to the floor of the lab. "I'm so glad you're safe…"
"I was thinking the same thing," Ruby admitted as Yang finally broke the hug and allowed her to step back. "We were half expecting to teleport into a warzone…"
"You're about a day early for that," Maria quipped as she hobbled forward to meet the crowd. "Maybe two, if we're lucky."
"…Maria Calavera?" Oscar asked as he stepped forward.
"Oz," the woman replied with a tilt of her head. "I'd know that tone anywhere…"
"…Ruby?" came a call through the monitor, the tone uncertain.
The mentioned girl's eyes widened as she gazed at the screen, which showed Jaune and Elm from Hope's perspective, as well as a waveform representing Clover's scroll.
"Penny?" Ruby asked hopefully. "Penny's alive!?"
"I am! Ruby, where a-"
"We don't have time for this," Raven snapped as she finally relaxed from her stance and moved to stand between Ruby and the monitor. "Tearful reunions can wait. All of Remnant is in danger, and we need to speak to Ironwood immediately."
"And we need medical attention."
"Cardin?" Yang asked incredulously as she finally noticed the hulking teen, his bare chest scorched and embedded with plates of melted steel. "What the fuck happened to you?"
"Cardin!?" Jaune's voice called over the monitor. "Like… Cardin Winchester? Why is Cardin in Atlas?"
"Because I'm in this shit with you, now," the young man replied as he shook his head. "Glad to hear you're still alive, Arc. We should talk after all this settles."
"Again- we're pressed for time," Raven reminded. "One of you, take Cardin and Fox to the infirmary."
"On it," Maria acknowledged as she made her way toward the door to the lab. "Pietro and Yang will be more useful in getting you all up to speed."
"And before I do," Yang began as she watched Maria lead the two young huntsmen out of the lab, "where's the Kuo Kuana crew? Did something go wrong?"
"Everything that could possibly go wrong went wrong," Ruby answered. "It's just us, now. Dad, Qrow, Coco, and… Neopolitan… are all perched on a cliff above the city of Argus, which is currently under siege by grimm. Ren, Nora, and Sage are back at Beacon, along with Roman Torchwick, who's both still alive and on our side. As for Blake and Neptune… they're on their way to Qrow. Gods, there's so much…"
"Including things your fearless leader has been hiding that I don't think should be discussed outside of the inner circle," Raven added as she eyed the monitor. "We're soon going to have an international incident on our hands. Again, I ask- where is Ironwood?"
"He decided to head for the vault," Dr. Polendina answered as he approached the woman in his chair. "He wouldn't tell us why, but it didn't sound good. I've tried sending a few messages, and he isn't answering…"
"The vault…" Oscar considered as he shook his head. "He can't access the Staff of Creation within it unless he has the Winter Maiden with him. Did he take Fria along?"
"Fria's dead," Yang said coldly as she looked off to the side. "Another maiden murdered as a tactical move in this never-ending war game. Just like Amber. Just like Vernal."
Ruby slowly brought a hand up to her mouth in stunned silence as Raven glowered at Yang. Oscar seemed entirely unaffected by the news, almost as though he had expected it.
"Then, Winter Schnee?"
"Harriet," Yang corrected. "Harriet Bree, one of the Aces, inherited the power. She's in the infirmary right now, with Winter… so far as I know."
"Then what is Ironwood capable of doing down in the vault without her?" Raven asked as she looked to Dr. Polendina.
"…I'll be completely honest- I have no idea," the doctor answered as he turned to face the monitor. "Clover, call the Aces back. I want to run diagnostics on Pax and give her the same treatment as Hope while she's here, and… I think we've reached the point where everyone needs to be in a room together to figure out the path forward. I don't know what James is doing, but I do know that he needs to hear whatever it is these people have to say before he does it. You and the Aces should be there, too, alongside Yang, Sun, and their entire crew. If we all have to confront him in the vault, then so be it."
"Copy that," Clover acknowledged. "Yet another set of direct orders being defied, but at this point, it's unavoidable. I'll corral the rest of the groups. If I'm understanding correctly, Sun's plan worked, and Raven Branwen is there in the lab with you?"
"I am," Raven answered as she moved closer to the computer. "But only parts of the plan worked. "We'll discuss when you and yours return to base."
"Fair enough," Clover agreed. "Contact me if you need us. Otherwise, we're going dark and heading back."
The monitor fizzled to blackness, and Ruby took a deep breath before clearing her throat to catch Yang's attention.
"Yang… before all of this gets too crazy, did the lamp make it here safely?"
"Yeah, it did," Yang replied as she ran her hands through her hair to work out a few tangles. "We gave it over to Ironwood, and then he let us look after it for a while."
"Did he explain how it works to you?" Ruby asked. "And where is it now?"
"…Ruby," Oscar said, his voice carrying a firm, commanding edge.
"We only have a vague idea of how it works and what it does," Yang answered, ignoring the farmhand entirely. "And… I think it's actually back in his office. Why?"
"He's not going to let you use it to ask where Summer is, not when we're on the brink of war," Raven interrupted. "She's apparently alive, if what we've heard is to be believed."
Yang could only stare for quite a while before she drew in a rattling breath through her nostrils and clenched her fists.
"…yes, he will. I'll make sure of it."
To call what Winter Schnee was experiencing a "headache" would be insulting. Even "migraine" seemed understated, all things considered. Her forehead throbbed, her hands were shaking, and the pit of her stomach was heavy and cold. Looking at Harriet as she sat in bed with a tube running from her arm to a monitor, all Winter could envision was the light fading from Fria's eyes and the warmth in the woman's hand dissipating. The process had taken only minutes after the drug had been administered, and Winter had been left holding a cold, dead limb as the aura within it fizzled out permanently.
"…how are you feeling?"
"What?" Winter asked, the question causing her to jolt slightly. "I… no, I should be asking you that. Are you stabilizing?"
"I'll live," Harriet replied in a bitter tone. "It's a sensation I can't even describe. It's like… my aura has been overcharged, somehow, and I can hear whispers that aren't there. I feel like I could run a marathon and pass out at the same time."
"Your vitals are… let's call it fluctuating," Winter let one as she looked at the connected monitor. Every single number on the screen would have been incredibly worrying had they been attributed to anyone else, and none of them remained static for very long. "Your heart rate is inconsistent, and your body is working overtime."
"The mother of all adrenaline surges," Harriet guessed. "But again- are you alright? You look ready to throw up, which is really something, because I'm pretty sure a Schnee is incapable of vomiting."
"You'd be surprised what I'm capable of when I need to be," Winter retorted. "I'm feeling… lost. We've been preparing for this moment for so long, and the burden of responsibility for Operation Snowfall has been on my shoulders all this time… only to inherit all of the trauma and none of the payoff. It's even worse knowing where you stand, and that you're now forced to take my place. I never wanted any of this, but I especially don't want this outcome for you."
Harriet felt the need to say something snarky in order to save face, and yet, she couldn't bring herself to do so. The look on Winter's face was enough to make her drop her guard, and so, Harriet settled for simply biting her lower lip and taking a deep breath before beginning to speak once again.
"…I think, more than anything, all of this shit going on has made me realize that anyone involved in this fight, regardless of their faults and whether or not I agree with them… they're trying. We're all standing here, when so many others would run away. That's what's keeping the kids going, and that's what Marrow has been trying so hard to hammer into the Aces. Everyone here has that in common, and it needs to be the ground we stand on to keep ourselves stable. We're surrounded by good people being forced to do terrible things. That includes you, Schnee."
"I feel similarly," Winter admitted. "And that includes General Ironwood. The further this all goes, the more I can see him beginning to crack… and I do not know if he's yet had the same realization. This isn't all on him, and I'm worried that he thinks it is. Please, just... try to see him the same way you see me, if what you said is how you really feel. He needs our help, not our criticism."
"There's a point where it goes too far," Harriet warned. "I don't know if we've already crossed it… but I'll try. What we're up against raises what's permissible on our side, too. I'm still not okay with inheriting this power, and I don't think I ever will be… but I'm not selfish enough to refuse to use it. I'll fight. I just need to be able to stand without feeling like I'm at sea, first."
Winter gave the other woman a weak smile, only to draw her scroll as it began to vibrate in her pocket.
Clover, 12:45 PM
All Aces, withdraw your units and return to the Academy. We need to speak with General Ironwood immediately. Mantle's defenses and communication networks are compromised. Tread lightly and stay safe.
"What does it say?" Harriet asked.
"Clover's putting out a call for the Aces to join him in confronting the General," Winter answered. "This… might be it, to determine the future of Atlas and Mantle. Things are looking bad. Very bad."
Winter blinked in surprise as Harriet shifted in bed. Before Winter could react, Harriet reached over and ripped the tube from her arm and tossed it aside.
"What are you doing!?"
"We can't sit this out," Harriet announced as she swung her legs over the side of the bed. "I got… something like half an hour of rest. I'll be fine to stand there and yell. Don't try to stop me. Neither of us can afford to sit on the sidelines for this one."
Winter heaved a sigh before rising from her chair and offering Harriet a hand.
"I can't argue with that, but after this, you rest."
"…we'll see," Harriet replied as she clasped Winter's forearm and pulled herself to a standing position with an unsteady wobble. "They need us, and we need them."
"We do," Winter agreed. "Lean into me and save your strength. Who knows what else we'll be asked to do before dawn…"
Author's Note:
I've finally mapped out how things are going to go down in what order. Chapter 200 will be the big, big discussion with the whole crew. This is going to be fun.
-RD